Women's mobilisation and patriarchal backlashes: investigating diverse effects at the micro-level

This study explores the relationship between women’s mobilisation and patriarchal backlash in post-conflict settings, with a focus on the micro-level. While previous literature has predominantly examined women's mobilisation as a dependent variable or causal mechanism, little attention has been paid to its role as an independent variable and the variation it may exhibit across cases. Addressing this gap, the paper investigates why some women’s mobilisations are met with higher levels of patriarchal backlash, defined as a resurgence of gender-based violence and regressive attitudes toward gender at the household level. To do so, the study conceptualises women’s mobilisation in two dimensions: (1) content of demands and scope of action, and (2) level of mobilisation. It posits that mobilisations oriented toward gender justice are more likely to provoke backlash than those with a narrower gender scope. In addition, national-level mobilisation may mitigate the backlash effect. The underlying causal mechanism revolves around the perception of a challenge to gender norms. Using a structured focused comparison of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Liberia, and Sri Lanka, the analysis offers some support for the idea that broader gender demands trigger backlash by challenging gender norms, while no evidence was found for the moderating effect of mobilisation level. These findings contribute to ongoing debates about post-conflict gender dynamics and call for greater empirical attention to the micro-level experiences of violence against women and gender norms.